Where is the Best Place to Find Dental Insurance? Taking care of your teeth is one of the most important parts of your overall health and wellness. Dental appointments should be part of your normal routine and attended regularly, not just when you have a problem that needs to be addressed. Whether you're looking for a hygiene checkup or cosmetic concerns like tooth whitening, visiting your dentist regularly can keep you happy, healthy, and smiling with all those pearly whites.
Best Option
Dental Insurance is a dental coverage broker that promises the fastest way to save with trusted insurance companies you're already familiar with. Dental Insurance is a subsidiary company of Kelsey National Corporation and is headquartered in LA, California. The company has been in business for 60 years. Some of the partner insurers included on Dental Insurance's list are Ameritas, Delta Dental, Guardian, MetLife, and VSP.
Search through 30+ plans
To start searching for your dental insurance plan, you just need to click the "See Plans" button on the main page of the website. This will take you to a quick form where you fill out your zip code, county of residence, and birthday. You can also add a spouse and/or child if you want to check out family coverage. From there, you'll be taken to a scrolling list where you can compare different plans for dental insurance side by side along with a range of search filters to help narrow the field. In our area, we were shown 31 different dental insurance plans.
10+ insurance providers
Dental Insurance's database of carriers includes a wide range of popular insurers such as:
You can also expect to find PPO plans and HMO plans as well as a handful of bundled plans for those looking for coverage beyond just dental insurance. The majority of plans at Dental Insurance were PPO (24 of the 31 we were suggested). 5 of the insurance options included adult orthodontia.
Prices from $8.09 to $99.99 per month
To get accurate prices across all insurance providers, we used a test customer who is 34 years old and is looking for basic care plus orthodontic coverage in the Central Florida area. Of the 31 plans suggested for our test persona, Dental Insurance's lowest monthly cost was a Guardian plan for $8.09. This was a DHMO plan (meaning you will need to remain in-network to gain benefits). Cleanings are free with this plan, and the coverage offers reduced prices for fillings, crowns, root canals, and simple extractions. You also get a flat rate fee for orthodontia at $2,800 for adult care. The most expensive plan was a PPO+Vision bundle through Humana which cost $99.99 per month. This covers 100% of the cost of cleanings and provides discounts for fillings, crowns, root canals, and extractions with between 50-80% off on each procedure. You also get vision care with a $0 copay for exams and hearing coverage. However, even with this high monthly price, this plan does not include any orthodontia.
No price matching and a 1-month waiting period
At the time of our review, Dental Insurance did not offer any guarantees or price-matching promises for the plans offered through its platform. All of the details for the cost and enrollment will be on the page for the individual plan you choose. You will need to complete an application before you can properly enroll at a provider through Dental Insurance, and you will need to wait until the following month to be able to use your coverage.
Additional coverage on some plans
Depending on which plans you choose, you may be able to get some extras as well. Some plans come with vision and hearing coverage already added (so you don't have to pay separately). You can also add vision to any of the plans that don't offer it as a bundle through Dental Insurance, due to the company's partnership with VSP. The cost for a separate vision plan in our test area started at $11.20 extra per month.
Rave reviews for service and quality
Dental Insurance has a top-notch reputation with customers online. According to the Better Business Bureau, this company holds an "A+' rating and accreditation. Dental Insurance is popular on other third-party review sites as well. Trustpilot shows a solid 4.5-star average for this platform, with high praise for the customer service reps who helped insured members (and newcomers) resolve problems or find the best coverage for their situations. Dental Insurance's sign-up process was called "painless" by several recent reviewers, and customers are generally pleased with the insurance coverage received for the price.
Top pick for service and value
This dental insurance broker stands out as a solid one-stop shop for your dental coverage. Whether you need regular dentistry or orthodontics, you can grab a plan from Dental Insurance at an impressively low monthly cost. With almost all plans covering general cleanings 100% and impressive discounts for crowns, root canals, and more, you can expect to smile more often knowing your teeth are taken care of. With praise for the simple enrollment process and value for the cost, Dental Insurance earns a solid 5 stars in our review.
Great
Dental Plans offers dental savings plans as an alternative to traditional insurance. The company promises an easy-to-use interface with a range of different dental services covered. Dental Plans notes that most customers save an average of 50% by opting into coverage with one of their packages. Most plans include savings for dentures, braces, and cosmetic procedures. In business for over 25 years, Dental Plans promises you can be as flexible as you need, whether you want to keep your coverage or change it over time.
Pick and choose your procedures
To search for savings options at Dental Plans, you just need to decide if you're looking for coverage for an individual (just you) or your entire family. Dental Plans will also ask if you have any dental procedures coming up, where you're located, and request your email. From there, you'll be sent to your first estimate (which includes zero procedures, just basic dentistry). If you want to see more accurate numbers for fillings, or braces, you can add these in a checklist below. Finally, you'll be given a plan cost, and you can choose to view your savings plan in more detail (including any additional benefits) or add your plan to the cart if you're ready.
Dental Plans chosen for you
There isn't a traditional database on Dental Plans like you would find on insurance broker sites. Instead, Dental Plans just tells you the best plan for your needs, and you buy that one savings plan. The savings plans are underwritten by major insurance providers, but are considered separate from traditional "insurance". These plans generally don't cover 100% of any procedure, even check-ups or cleanings. Some of the providers that are partnered with Dental Plans include:
However, you won't be able to see other plans, only the one Dental Plans suggests for you. The plan we were suggested for our test customer was from Careington.
Prices around $131.21 to $157.46 per year
To accurately compare costs across different brokers and providers, we created a customer persona to use across all the estimates. Our persona is a 34-year-old individual in Florida, looking for insurance that covers both primary dental care and orthodontia. At Dental Plans, we were offered a plan through Careington Care 500 that offers 20-60% off different procedures, includes 608 dentists, and offers vision and prescription coverage for free. The coverage at Dental Plans is billed annually, so the final cost for Dental Plans's suggested dental savings subscription is $131.21 per year (which comes out to $10.93 per month). If you'd like a family plan instead with the same parameters, Dental Plans quoted us the same coverage for $26.25 extra per year ($157.46 total). However, there is a $20 processing fee that is non-refundable.
Price matching and money-back guarantee
Dental Plans offers two guarantees. First, the company offers a price-match guarantee that states if you find a lower price for the dental savings plan, Dental Plans will match it. Dental Plans also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all dental savings plans. However, the refund does not include the $20 processing fee for joining.
Free vision and prescription plans
The plan we were suggested for our test customer included the additional benefits of a vision savings plan as well as a prescription savings plan. This makes Dental Plans competitive with some of the best dental savings providers out there. You can expect partial coverage for eye exams, new lenses, new frames, and LASIK with the vision coverage and between 20-40% off your generic and brand-name prescription medications.
Solid customer service, but could use more savings
Currently, Dental Plans has a solid reputation with plenty of reviews. The Better Business Bureau shows an "A+' rating for this dental savings provider. On top of that, you can find over 13,000 individual customer reviews on Trustpilot that average out to an impressive 4.5-star rating. Recent reviews call the service reps at Dental Plans "exceptional", and customers who had difficulties with getting discounts from their dentists were able to resolve the issues with help from Dental Plans.
Great option for total coverage
Between the great customer service and the solid savings at Dental Plans, this is definitely a dental insurance option you'll want to check out. With extras like vision and prescriptions and solid ratings from the BBB and reviewers, Dental Plans easily makes it into the top two for our review. Be sure you check it out while you're browsing dental insurance plans, since your area and dentist might come with better savings here than with other types of coverage.
Great
Rather than being a traditional insurance broker or policy provider, 1 Dental offers what it calls a "Dental Discount Plan." This plan is for those who pay for membership with 1 Dental, and it offers savings on your dental care. Unlike some traditional insurance plans, you can start using 1 Dental immediately. In business since 1997, 1 Dental stands out as a reliable choice that offers an alternative to traditional insurance.
Get a suggested plan after a short questionnaire
To begin looking for plans in your area, you just need to submit your zip code on the main page of the website. 1 Dental will ask you a few questions, including why you are looking for a dental plan, what kind of dental work you may need, and whether you've been referred to (or currently need) a specialist. The company only offers its own membership-style coverage, but the discounts visible are highly promising if saving on your monthly premium is your goal.
No database, just three plans
There isn't a database at 1 Dental. Instead, you'll have to trust the price the company suggests to you. We were offered a "bundle" plan underwritten by both Dental Access through Aetna and the 500 Series Careington. If you want to see the plans separately, you'll need to scroll to the bottom of the site and click the "plans" dropdown, so you can see costs for the individual plans. According to the plan details, the plan handled by Dental Access is best for those looking for specialist work. If you aren't planning to use orthodontics or get extractions in the near future, you can stick with the 500 Series Careington which is ideal for general care needs. And, of course, you can bundle them, if you want both.
Prices from $16.95 to $24.95 per month
For our price check, we created an individual as a "test" customer who is 34 years old, in need of preventative care as well as potential use of orthodontics, living in Central Florida. For our test customer, we were quoted $24.95 per month by 1 Dental for a single individual's coverage (as a combo pack of the two coverage types). If you want to add a member, the listed cost is an additional $6 per month. If you want to get just Dental Access or just 500 Series Careington, the cost for each individual plan is $16.95. According to the cost breakdown on 1 Dental, our plan would save us $1,295 on braces, $60 on a general exam, and $101 on a cleaning. However, none of these included 100% coverage for any aspect of our dental care.
Refunds within 30 days
1 Dental lets you use their plans for 30 days to test out the coverage. If you don't love your savings or the process of using 1 Dental, you can get a 100% refund for your plan. If there is a setup fee (which isn't charged for all packages), you won't be refunded for that, but the rest of your monthly cost will be returned to you.
Free vision included
On top of dental, you can also get savings on vision care through 1 Dental. The vision plan comes bundled automatically with the dental plans and offers 20-40% off eyewear, 15% off contacts, a free LASIK exam, and savings on LASIK surgery too. You can use your same member ID number at your dentist and eye doctor.
Top marks for great savings
1 Dental has an impressive reputation with the Better Business Bureau. It currently holds an "A+" BBB rating and accreditation. Customers offer high praise for this service; one third-party review site showed a solid 4.6-star average out of 5 for 1 Dental with particular praise for the outstanding customer service at this provider. Subscribers claimed to have gotten 50% off their total dental costs for a year, and they loved the convenience and flexibility (rather than the renewal fees and difficulties found at more traditional insurance providers).
Great savings with zero long-term commitment
If you want something that stands out from traditional insurance, but still covers a large amount of your dental costs, 1 Dental is a great provider to check out. While it doesn't cover any aspect of dental completely (as in $0 for check-ups), the overall costs are reduced across every aspect of dental coverage - including orthodontics. Plus, with free vision savings as well, 1 Dental offers a one-stop shop for several aspects of your health and wellness. These factors, as well as the competitive costs per month, earn 1 Dental a very high rating in our review.
Good
Avia Dental is a platform that offers discounts for customers on their dental visits without the need for traditional insurance. Open since 1994, this discount service provides coverage for families and individuals. Promising the ‘lowest dental fee schedules" in the US, Avia Dental stands out as a great way to save your smile without hurting your wallet. As a bonus, there is no wait to start using your Avia Dental savings. As soon as you pay, you can jump right in and start seeing your preferred dental care provider. However, Avia Dental is only available in 29 states in the US.
Pick from three plans
To start searching the available plans and prices at Avia Dental, you'll want to click on the dropdown menu and hit "Affordable Dental Plans." From here, you'll be able to see the details for the three plan tiers at Avia Dental. You can choose from Individual, Individual +1, or Family plans. The individual plans include 40,000 dentists, up to 50% off your regular dentist visits, and no risk of being denied coverage. However, the policy doesn't state whether more complex visits are covered or what the discount might be.
Huge but confusing database of providers
The database on Avia Dental isn't for different insurance plans, but rather a list of dentists that take Avia Dental coverage. In our test area, Avia Dental showed over 20 different dentists and orthodontists that accept the Avia Dental discount card. However, the list shows multiple doctors at each location, which can be confusing if you see "Greenberg Dental" 7 times in the scrolling list of dental care providers with the same street address. You can also search for a specific dentist or orthodontist to see if your current care provider is covered by Avia Dental. (Also, for what it's worth, that particular dentistry franchise has a very poor reputation in the test area, so we're not sure we'd be thrilled if the dentists in this network were all comparable to that one.)
Prices from $9.25 to $15 per month
Avia Dental is extremely affordable on a month-to-month basis. The costs start as low as $9.25 per month for a single individual. If you choose the Individual +1 plan, the cost is $13.25 per month, and the Family plan is $15 per month. However, each of these plans has an "initial payment" which is steeper than some other discount coverage sites. For the Individual plan, the fee is $29.25, the Individual +1 is $33.25, and the Family plan is $35 to get started. This processing fee is non-refundable if you decide to cancel your coverage.
Full refund within 30 days
Avia Dental promises that if you cancel your membership within the first 30 days, you will be reimbursed for all charges after you've sent your discount card back to them. If you pay any special fees (different from the processing fee listed on the plans page for residents of Tennessee and Vermont), you will also be refunded for that.
Includes free vision and prescriptions
On top of dental coverage, Avia Dental includes discounts for your vision appointments as well as for prescriptions. These are lumped in with your plan, so you don't have to pay anything extra to enjoy discounts for a range of medical needs. The prescription plan offers you access to discounts of up to 20% on your prescription medications, and the vision benefits offer standardized discounts and prices for things like an eye exam ($5 off) or a new plastic lens ($50 flat rate).
Not a lot of buzz for Avia Dental
While Avia Dental is well-rated overall, the amount of feedback for this dental discount provider is pretty spotty. On third-party review sites, the average score is around 4.2 stars, but there are only a handful of ratings. Avia Dental does hold an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau, but without a higher quantity of customer reviews, it's hard to say how trustworthy this discount provider is. Given that newer companies have more feedback than this one, we'd like to see Avia Dental improve its online presence a bit more.
Needs more reviews to compete
The prices are incredibly low at Avia Dental, which makes it worth checking out just on that basis. However, with fewer details on the actual discounts than competitors and a limited number of user reviews online, Avia Dental doesn't quite make it to our top picks. Still, it's definitely worth checking out for the low costs and included vision and prescription coverage.
Average
Spirit Dental is an insurance provider that offers dental and vision coverage all in one place. This provider is based out of Minnesota and has offered protection for smiles for over 20 years. Standing out from other insurance providers and brokers, Spirit Dental promises there is no waiting period to start using your coverage. Plus, with a mission of providing top-notch customer service, Spirit Dental claims to pick up any call in 30 seconds or less.
Jump right into suggested coverage
To get started with seeing your insurance options, you can either hit the "Get a Quote" button on the top of the screen or call the Spirit Dental customer service team. If you use the online quote feature, Spirit Dental will ask you about your specific dental situation. For example, you'll be asked to select whether you're getting dental insurance for yourself, you and one other person, or your whole family. Then, you'll need to put in a zip code. From there, you'll be shown a range of different plans all provided by Spirit Dental.
Choose from around 6 plans
Unlike some other dental insurance providers, which are often brokers, Spirit Dental only provides its own insurance plans. The test individual we created to fill out the forms is a 34-year-old customer from Central Florida looking for basic coverage and possible orthodontia. Under those parameters, Spirit Dental offered us 6 different dental plans. Two out of the three plans include orthodontics for children. Four of the plans are PPO, and the others are flexible, more like dental savings plans. The plans are all underwritten by the Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. However, you may be limited based on where you live. For example, you can't get dental insurance through Spirit Dental if you live in Rhode Island.
Prices from $16.67 to $46.66 per month
Based on the choices we were quoted for our test customer, Spirit Dental's prices range from $16.67 per month to $46.66 per month. This is neither the most costly nor the most affordable, just a middle-tier solution. The lowest tier is Spirit Preventive Plus PPO, which covers 100% of preventative visits, no waiting period, and 50% of your 1st year of basic coverage. This plan covers 20% of your orthodontics and oral surgeries as well. The most costly plan is the Spirit Flex Plus, which includes 100% coverage of preventative services, up to 80% of basic services, and up to 50% of orthodontics and surgeries.
30-day refunds if you don't use your insurance
Spirit Dental offers a 30-day customer satisfaction guarantee where any individual plan can be canceled within 30 days of your first effective day. Any premiums will be refunded as long as you haven't used any services with your Spirit Dental insurance. This guarantee does not apply to group or family plans.
Grab vision separately
On top of dental, you can also get vision insurance separately through Spirit Dental. This is a bit of a letdown, since most other sites in our review offer vision as a bundle or included from the get-go in the price of the dental insurance. However, at Spirit Dental, you'll have to go to another area of the website, using the navigation menu, and sign up for vision insurance separately (with an additional cost).
No third-party reviews from customers
Clicking through their Better Business Bureau accreditation banner takes you to a BBB page for Direct Benefits, which appears to be a parent company for Spirit Dental, though that takes a little digging to find. On the bright side, Spirit Dental holds an "A+" rating and accreditation with the BBB. Outside of the BBB, there are no reviews on trusted third-party review sites, which raises a few concerns. However, on blog sites, Spirit Dental earns around 4 stars on average.
Everything about it is mid
While Spirit Dental has some decent prices, everything about this dental insurance provider is pretty middle-tier. The prices are around the middle of the pack, and the benefits are competitive, but nothing extraordinary. Plus, with a limited refund policy that doesn't allow you to try the insurance before getting your refund, and the fact that there are no vision and dental bundles offered (at least for our test customer), Spirit Dental doesn't impress as well as it could.
Fair
eHealth is a licensed insurance agency that works with a wide range of insurance providers to help you find, compare, and enroll in the ideal insurance for you. This platform covers everything from medical to vision to dental. You can search for your coverage using eHealth's online database or by calling one of their team members on the phone. Either way, you'll get a list of plans personalized to your situation. eHealth has been around for over 25 years, and promises live support any time you have a question.
Search features
To get started, make sure you've selected dental insurance. Then, you'll put in your zip code before filling out some quick forms to tell eHealth more about the dental coverage you need. You'll be shown a scrolling list of plans, and the listings show the name of the provider, the cost per month, and any deadlines you need to keep an eye on if you want to qualify for the insurance policy in the near future. If you want in-depth descriptions of the plans, you'll need to click on each individual option to see the primary benefits, and whether or not there is a required commitment (some dental insurance policies require a commitment of 12 months when you first join).
16 different providers for insurance
For filling out the forms, we created a test customer who is a single person aged 34 living in Central Florida looking for coverage that includes basic appointments and potential orthodontia. For this individual, eHealth offered us 19 different plans. These included DHMO and PPO plans from a variety of providers including:
For our test customer, we were offered plans from 5 of these listed providers, including Humana, MetLife, Ameritas, UnitedHealthcare, and ManhattanLife.
Prices from $11.99 to $83 per month
In terms of cost, we found the best price to be $11.99 from Humana, which included teeth cleanings (zero charge), fillings with a $30 to $45 copay, and crowns at a $410 copay. This plan did not include any mention of orthodontics, though. The most costly plan through eHealth was underwritten by MetLife for $83 per month. You get full coverage for teeth cleanings, filings covered for up to 90% of the total cost, and crowns covered for up to 60% of the total cost. This option also did not offer orthodontics.
They price match to the insurer
The only promises or guarantees offered by eHealth are that they will offer the same prices as buying directly from the insurer. They also promise and make plenty of "pledges" regarding customer service, but there aren't any guarantees backed by refund policies. You can cancel your insurance at any time during the underwriting process (before your first payment or charge).
Insurance for all kinds of health
Since eHealth is a broker for all kinds of insurance beyond dental, you can get everything from health insurance to gap insurance, to vision, and more. If you buy dental insurance through eHealth, you can also add vision insurance to most plans for $11.20 per month.
Some issues with customer service
eHealth has a solid standing with the Better Business Bureau, with an "A+" rating and accreditation. However, on third-party review sites, eHealth isn't as popular with just 3.5 stars overall. Customers who have bought insurance through eHealth complained that the service is "good" but it has limitations compared to other brokers. While many customers were happy with the experience, some noted that the customer service agents didn't know enough about different policies to explain them or to resolve problems that arose. There are a range of recent reviews complaining about the "unprofessional" attitudes of the eHealth customer service team.
Needs to improve its service and offerings
Hopefully, you won't need customer service regarding your dental insurance, but if you do, you want to be able to trust that the broker has your back. Given the complaints about the customer service at eHealth, it doesn't rank as highly as it could. While the plans are solid, none that we were offered included orthodontics, so you may need to get separate insurance if you want orthodontic care. For these reasons, eHealth comes in a little below average in our review.
Subpar
While Dental Save sounds like it might be a good place to find deals on your dental insurance, you may want to be cautious about this site. During our research, we found a variety of unsettling issues with the site design. First, the photos used for some of the pages are warped or extremely low resolution. Second, there are several typos on parts of the site like "Hows it Works" for their About page. Like other dental savings sites, this is a membership program that gives you access to discounts rather than being a true insurance website. While it has been in business for 44 years, it doesn't rank as one of the more trustworthy companies in our review.
1,000+ dentists covered
Rather than hosting a database of insurance providers, Dental Save offers a database of dentists and specialists that are within the networks supported by Dental Save (most of these are through Careington). In our area, Dental Save offers over 105 pages of individual dentists who accept Dental Save, which is well over 1,000 places to use your new coverage.
Three plans with extras included
Dental Save allows you to jump right into the details by clicking the "Start Saving" button. You can choose whether you want to pay monthly or yearly, and then sift through three different plan types: Individual, Dual, and Family. All plans include the same benefits:
Prices from $9.99 to $17.95 per month
The pricing depends on how many people you want to have on your plan. The Individual membership is $9.99 per month, the Dual membership costs $14.95 per month, and the Family membership is $17.95 per month. Each membership comes with a $20 activation fee as well.
30-day refund policy
Like many other dental savings plans and memberships, Dental Save offers a refund policy. If you decide that you don't like the service within 30 days of your activation, you'll receive a full refund minus a "processing fee" which appears to be different from the activation fee which will be refunded to you. Certain states in the US have special circumstances for the processing fee, like in Maryland where the fee is $5, but if you live in Tennessee, the processing fee won't be charged. There is no clarification on the fees for other states.
No buzz for Dental Save
We're unsure about the true reputation of Dental Save since the reviews on the website are clearly curated. They aren't independently-posted or verified and are added to the website in the form of quotes. The company also has a below-average "B-" rating from the Better Business Bureau. While Dental Save does have some popularity on Facebook, there are zero customer reviews outside social media platforms, which raises some questions about how many people are actually using this service for their dental savings.
Not enough feedback to be competitive
It might seem great to find an affordable dental savings plan that includes vision, prescriptions, and hearing all in one place, but due to the concerning errors and typos on the website and the near-total lack of customer reviews on trusted third-party review sites, Dental Save comes in as a below-average choice for securing a dental insurance alternative. If you're looking for a membership that offers savings, we recommend looking at one of our higher-rated services instead.
Weak
Stride Health is an insurance broker that focuses on providing plans tailored for those who are independent workers or own their own businesses. Their slogan states, "In a world built for W-2s, we're here for the 1099s". The company brokers health insurance as well as other protections like vision, life insurance, and dental insurance. Open since 2019, this is one of the newer companies in our review. However, based on the feedback and BBB scores, it looks like it may still be having some growing pains.
Getting started can feel redundant
To get started on Stride Health, you just need to enter your zip code and your email and click the "Get Started" button. After that, Stride Health will tell you which underwriter offers plans in your area. For our test customer, who is located in Central Florida, the dental insurance plans offered were underwritten by Ameritas. However, after this, the site is a little clunky. You'll be taken to another window where you need to put in your zip code again. This appears to be a portal that connects to the underwriter, but it still feels redundant. You will be asked if you also need vision coverage during the first few questions and how many individuals will need to be part of the Stride Health plan.
Around 4 plans to choose from
Once we completed the questions using a test persona of a single individual looking for dental insurance in the Central Florida area (ideally including basic appointments and potential orthodontia), we were offered four different plans through Stride Health (all underwritten by Ameritas). Three out of the four plans offer child orthodontia, and all but one plan includes 100% coverage for your preventative care right away. The least costly plan only covers 90% of your preventative care in the first year of using the insurance policy. Keep in mind that the number of plans may change, depending on the type of policy you ask for and where you are located.
Prices from $13.21 to $42.22 per month
The prices at Stride Health are reasonable, but they're not the lowest. The basic plan offered to us, Stride Starter, costs $13.21 per month. It included preventative care and basic care (for fillings and other small procedures). You only get 90% of your preventative visits covered in the first year. It does go up to 100% after you've held the policy for 1 year, though. The most costly plan with Stride Health is $42.22, which includes preventative care, basic care, major care, and child orthodontia. There are no enrollment fees for any of the plans offered at Stride Health.
Difficult to cancel
There is another drawback to choosing Stride Health, and that's the difficulties with cancellations. You will need to call Ameritas directly to cancel your subscription to dental insurance. You are unable to cancel your plan online, and there was no mention of a price match guarantee or any kind of refund policy for the plans. Since you're being directed to the underwriter from Stride Health, you'll need to use the policies for the specific insurer you select.
Add vision as an extra
Stride Health does offer vision coverage (along with life insurance and health insurance). You can get vision coverage bundled with your dental, but you'll have to sign up for each type of insurance separately through Ameritas (or the suggested provider for your area). We were quoted between $8.78 to $10.62 per month for vision on top of the cost of dental.
Mixed feedback with concerns about cancellation
There is some serious back and forth with Stride Health's reputation. Let's start with the good news. On Trustpilot, customers say that their experience was extremely positive. With a 4.6-star average rating, the feedback on Stride Health's customer support is full of rave reviews. However, on the Better Business Bureau, it's a completely different story. Stride Health currently holds an "F" rating from the BBB. This is partly due to Stride Health's lack of response to complaints. These complaints had to do with cancellations, where customers were frustrated at how hard it was to get out of Stride Health when they didn't want it any longer.
Needs more time to work out the kinks
While you might want to see what Stride Health has to offer depending on the dental insurance provided in your area, we recommend some caution. The "F" rating from the BBB and concerns about being able to cancel your policy are some red flags we don't like to ignore with insurance. Since the site doesn't have the best prices or the best benefits, it may not be ideal for those looking to save a little on their premiums either. We hope as this company continues to grow, we'll see more positivity (especially from the BBB), but for now, you might be safer to find your dental insurance with one of our top picks instead.
Continued from above...
Taking care of your teeth is one of the most important parts of your overall health and wellness. Dental appointments should be part of your normal routine and attended regularly, not just when you have a problem that needs to be addressed. Whether you're looking for a hygiene checkup or cosmetic concerns like tooth whitening, visiting your dentist regularly can keep you happy, healthy, and smiling with all those pearly whites.
However, as with many medical and preventative care appointments, the cost of dental work can get pretty high. A recent study shows that the national average cost for a standard visit (dental exam, cleaning, and x-rays) is around $203 per visit. If you're not one of the lucky folks who get dental with their job benefits, grabbing your own dental insurance is a sure way to make sure you save money and keep your teeth healthy at the same time.
If you need other procedures like fillings, crowns, or root canals, your total cost at the dentist could be thousands of dollars (crowns can cost up to $1,800 per tooth). While you can't do much about the cost of the dentists themselves, there are some resources to help you find affordable dental insurance to keep costs down.
A recent study compared different monthly costs (including preventative visits) and found that those with insurance paid $800 less per year than those without. Plus, if you get insurance, many of the basics are free of charge, making it less likely that you will need more complicated or expensive trips to the dentist in the future.
Now, when you decide to grab dental insurance, you'll want to keep a few things in mind. Like health insurance, your dental insurance company will have a network of accepted providers. If you have a dentist you really love, you'll want to make sure you grab insurance that is taken by your current dentist. In-network insurance policies will usually cover 100% of preventative dental care, up to 80% of basic procedures (fillings, root canals, and extractions), and up to 50% of major procedures like crowns, implants, and treatment for gum disease. Keep in mind many plans do not include orthodontics (such as braces), but most insurers or brokers offer at least one plan that does include specialist care.
In general, you can find a few types of dental plans. First is the Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). This is the common "network" approach where dentists join a PPO network and set up their fee schedule with the insurance provider. You can go out of network with PPO plans, but you may have higher out-of-pocket fees. The other main option is the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans which have a more restricted network requirement. For HMO (sometimes called DHMO in dental insurance), you are not able to go out of network and still use your insurance benefits.
If you're ready to support your dental health and enjoy the security of covered preventative care, but don't know which dental insurance service to choose, we've put together some factors to help you decide:
To help you find the best dental insurance for your sparkling smile, Top Consumer Reviews has researched and ranked the top providers and brokers out there today. Whether you prefer total coverage for dental and orthodontics or a simpler option that focuses on preventative care, there's a dental insurance plan out there waiting for you. This way, you can enjoy your pearly whites and save some money in the process!
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Why Has Dental Insurance Become So Popular?
A person's smile often is the first thing others notice about them. A beautiful set of pearly whites can make or break that first impression.
Keeping our teeth, gums and mouth healthy goes a long way in improving our appearance. As we age, our teeth develop numerous issues which should be monitored and treated by a dental professional. But let's face it - dental procedures can be expensive. Even a routine exam and cleaning can cost over $100 in most areas. Costs can be even higher for those without dental insurance.
Recent figures indicate that 42 percent of all Americans go without dental insurance, which in turn results in a lack of regular visits to the dentist.
However, studies in recent years have linked improper dental care and health to everything from heart disease to diabetes and even cancer. A healthy mouth is the first step toward a healthy body.
Some people are lucky and have dental insurance included as part of their regular health insurance package through an employer. For those people, espousing the benefits of proper dental hygiene and care are unnecessary. They have the benefits in place and are happy to use them.
For those who are not lucky enough to have dental insurance through an employer, the benefits of purchasing your own plan through an insurance broker or directly from a dental insurance company are numerous.
Dental insurance plans have seen an increase in popularity in recent years due to the general populations' growing knowledge about the important of proper dental hygiene. This includes a twice-annual exam and cleaning by a dental professional. A recent spate of television ads promoting dental insurance plans has helped to spur that growth, accounting for roughly a 7 percent increase in the number of people who sought out and purchased dental insurance plans.
Another reason dental insurance plans have become so popular is that they are easier to navigate than a traditional health insurance plan. Because there are only so many dental procedures a person can undergo, plans are very clear as to what they cover and how much coverage is included.
Dental insurance plans also tend to be more affordable than traditional healthcare coverage plans, and the cost remains stable from year to year, whereas healthcare insurance costs are less predictable and often skyrocket from year to year.
Employers also are taking notice of the rise in popularity in dental insurance plans and are considering them as part of a comprehensive healthcare package to help attract the best employees. Next to annual salary, benefits are the next most important factor for many individuals when considering employment. Companies which offer healthcare and dental plans are more likely to not only attract the best people for the job, but retain them from one year to the next.
If you are among the people who are not lucky enough to have dental insurance through your employee benefits package, but would like to secure your own coverage, be sure to review the best plans for your area before making a decision.
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